Years ago, when Dr. Gary Chapman penned the book The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts, he proposed a very simple concept. Essentially, he says there are 5 ways people receive love: Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Receiving Gifts, Acts of Service, and Physical Touch. Each person has 1-2 Love Languages, and those methods are the vehicles by which they feel most … [Read more...]

For many couples, household chores can be one of the top sources of marital conflict. Finding a way to communicate your needs and work together with gracious understanding may take time and some trial-and-error, but is well worth the effort.
Jena Shockley started out with a system for managing chores, but it didn't necessarily work as well as she'd hoped, but eventually … [Read more...]

One hot morning last summer, Matt and I had just gotten home from spending two weeks working a camp in Louisiana and were frantically unpacking and repacking for a month-long road trip to California, with only one day’s rest between the two.
For the past year and a half, we had been living in a 1976 Airstream travel-trailer on our friends’ 40-acre homestead, and it … [Read more...]

Ah, Christmas—that magical time of year when holiday music is piped into your every waking moment, parties with goodies abound, and every Hallmark movie has a predictable, happy ending. There are so many things we can rely on to happen around the holidays and, for me, that’s one of the things that makes it special. Even in chaos, I like predictability.
What’s one more … [Read more...]

When my wife and I got married, my aunt gave us a “treasure box” with an explanation to drop in a quarter every time we, ahem, stopped to “treasure” each other. Later, we found out that the more current version is the “Passion Pig,” where you use a piggy bank for the same purpose.
It was all in fun, and my wife started buying up piggy banks for all her unmarried friends. … [Read more...]

Love & War is a very in depth and eye-opening book that focuses on what marriage truly is, “a love story, set in a great and terrible war.” John and Stasi Eldredge are transparent and share private experiences and thoughts on how “war” came into their lives and the lives of others. We loved this book because sometimes we feel the battles we personally face in marriage do … [Read more...]

“I wish my husband was more like yours.” This is not meant to be boastful by any means, but I have actually received that compliment many times. My husband and I have often heard, “Y’all are the cutest,” or “Relationship goals: Be like Tyler and Nikita.”
I’m going to be real—it feels good when people say that. I think my husband is awesome, and I’m glad other people do … [Read more...]

I don’t think Wal-Mart even waited until the Fourth of July stuff was cleared out. Row upon row of school supplies sprouted up, mid-summer it seems.
Don’t get me wrong—I love school supplies.
“I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils, if I knew your name and address…” (Name that movie!)
And now it’s August, and “back-to-school” really is upon us. Some … [Read more...]

6:00 A.M. I drag myself down the stairs, baby on one arm, dodging dogs in urgent need of the backyard, yawning and thinking only one word: coffee.
I reach for the coffee pot and draw back my arm with a stainless steel carafe full of nothing. Usually it is full. Usually it has been set the night before and timed to perfection for the waking of the baby. Usually...my husband … [Read more...]

On our honeymoon, I tried to be movie romantic. While my bride was patiently waiting in the car, I spread rose petals all over the bedroom. I honestly don’t remember her reaction to my gesture, but I do remember the stains that wouldn’t come out of the new comforter and the carpet.
Did you know rose petals could stain?
My romance track record never really improved. My … [Read more...]

Why Texas & Louisiana?

Because this is our backyard. We believe sustained, local testimony from our neighbors is a powerful thing, and marriages are best strengthened in Christian community. There are no marital rock stars here. We're all just figuring it out together.

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